Once a rising contender at 170 pounds, Belal Muhammad wants to be an active champion. Muhammad is coming from a hard-hitting head-slam-dead upset over Leon Edwards at UFC 304. He showed massive improvements to edge out ‘Rocky’ and claim the welterweight title. In the aftermath, the UFC Athlete Rankings have him move to No. 5 in pound-for-pound rankings!
Banking on his new status, Belal Muhammad is planning a clean reign. The Palestinian-American star aims to remain active after becoming the champion. Muhammad was critical of Edwards’ lack of activity as a 170-pound champion. However, he touts himself as a different breed. As such, he plans to be the Alex Pereira of the division.
I’d rather fight than not fight, So hopefully if I can get into the last card of the year in December, that’ll be great for me. I think that makes a lot of sense…So if they need somebody for that, I’ll be their Alex Pereira and step up. I’m training in the gym. I’m still motivated. I’m ready to go. I’m not going to be a Leon Edwards where I take a year off. I want to make this division great again, so let’s just stay active.
Belal Muhammad via MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze”
To put it into context, Pereira headlined UFC 295 after the main event got canceled. Soon after, he headlined UFC 300 and then again won at UFC 303 on short notice. The welterweight champion would rather be like that than not. Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) has faced much snub and doubt as he rises. More than his inactivity, what bothered him was Edwards’ indifference toward his struggles.
By the end, Muhammad got so unhinged that any challenge hardly fazed him. As a champion, he wants to offer the division a better chance. He already has been engaging with challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov. Muhammad’s ambitions do not end there. An underdog in most recent fights, the 36-year-old wants to leave an undeniable legacy.
Daniel Cormier Hot-Take: Belal Muhammad won’t shut up and doesn’t need to
UFC commentator and ex-champion Daniel Cormier finds Belal Muhammad’s trash talk surprising but doesn’t blame him. Muhammad dealt a bad hand as a welterweight contender and hasn’t minced words since dethroning Leon Edwards for the welterweight title.
Belal Muhammad has opened the floodgates after win over Leon Edwards (Source: es.agfight.com)Muhammad even took on an unlikely beef with Alexander Volkanovski, a friend of ‘Rocky.’ He also traded barbs with former champ and P4P king Kamaru Usman – whom he is targeting. ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ has also called dibs on his first title defense. There’s also Sean Strickland and Colby Covington all over. ‘DC’ doesn’t fault him for any of what comes ahead.
Having a champion that starts speaking your name, talks about what you did and not being impressed by what you did when what you did was so impressive, it’s awesome…It makes you viable again. But Belal did it. Belal’s the champion, and honestly, I don’t hate it. He ain’t holding his tongue, and he shouldn’t have to. He’s the man. He’s going crazy right now, and it’s just funny.
Daniel Cormier to MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn
Muhammad also vows to be an active champion, taking on anyone who comes his way. Undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov wanted to remind the champion that he was coming, and Muhammad fielded it. He then doused warring words to Usman again.
Muhammad would have contemplated retirement if he had not won the UFC welterweight title. But now that he is at the top, he means to live it to the fullest. If that means dishing out some of the barbs he got, then so be it. If things go according to plan, the welterweight champion could return by November or December.
